


Ghostwriter

by Paige_Turner36



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, Gen, Happy Beginning, Once Upon a Time storybook: Beauty and the Beast, Other, Rumple DIY, Rumple ghostwriter, Rumple vs Nimue, Storybrooke (Once Upon a Time), The Dark Castle (Once Upon a Time), True Love, True Love's Kiss, season 6 AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-13
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2020-08-20 21:31:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20234695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paige_Turner36/pseuds/Paige_Turner36
Summary: After Rumple makes the deal with Regina/The Evil Queen to leave Belle and his son alone, he sets about making final preparations to make sure his wife and son will be safe and happy... without him. Starting with fixing up the little derelict green house Belle had bought unseen from Weasleton, without magic.His last stop is a visit to his grandson Henry, the Author, to ask him to place him somewhere where he cannot "destroy" his loved ones: one of the empty storybooks. Rumple asks his grandson to place him at the moment of his true loves kiss with Belle, so he can see how different their story would have happened if he'd allowed her to break her curse.





	Ghostwriter

**Author's Note:**

> Skin Deep dialogue taken from The Promise fic.
> 
> 'Beauty' description by Amy Williams, née Pond, borrowed from Doctor Who: the Girl Who Waited.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT or any of the images used. This is for fun and not for profit.

The moment the Evil Queen left his shop, Rumple pulled off his tie (that he will never wear again) and unbutton his collar. Ever since his imprisonment with Zelena he couldn’t stand anyone but Belle touching him or invading his personal space, least of all either of Cora’s daughters.

Retrieving his crystal ball, he placed it on the counter. ‘Show me who I seek,’ he commanded.

Purple smoke swirled within the ball before it cleared revealing Belle sitting in Granny’s diner, looking distressed.

‘It was awful,’ she was saying in dismay. ‘I bought a squat! Rubbish, stained and peeling wallpaper, greasy kitchen tiles and the garden looks like a baron wasteland.’

‘Who did you buy it off?’ asked Granny.

Belle looked embarrassed, and Rumple almost missed it when she mumbled, ‘Weasleton.’

‘Weasleton? Oh Belle, please tell me you didn’t buy from that weasel. His prices make Gold’s rates almost _reasonable_.’

‘Well it was one of the only few houses in this town Rumple doesn’t own!’

‘Did you even view it?’

Belle’s lack of answer spoke volumes. ‘I have to get my baby away from him. My son said Rumple’s going to destroy us –’

‘I’m sorry, your _son_ said?’

‘I put all I had into that house.’

Granny decided to blow pass the her-unborn-son-who-isn’t-more-than-a-cluster-of-cells-said business. ‘Well, okay, so pay for decorators –’

‘No, that was _all I had_.’

‘What’re you going to do?’

‘You can stay on my ship, love.’

Rumple’s blood boiled as Hook sidled over and put an arm around his wife’s shoulders.

‘I don’t think that’s a good idea, Killian,’ said Belle. ‘If Rumple knew you were harbouring me –’

‘All the more reason it do it. He’d never look for you there. Whilst I have turned out for the better, the Crocodile still holds a grudge against me. I told you fighting for Rumplestiltskin was a lost cause.’

_Before you shot her_, Rumple thought darkly.

‘That monster has already destroyed one son’s life, don’t let him ruin another. You’d be doing me a favour too. Maybe helping you will lessen the guilt for shooting you. What do you say?’

Belle smiled. ‘Can I think about it?’

Rumple waved his hand over the orb, unable to watch any more. The fact that Belle was even considering staying on the ship of the man who shot her was worse than her accepting. Not least the ship where his first wife had run off to. Gods help him if she went to Zelena for help (again). If Belle was accepting help from a known enemy of his then Rumple knew where they stood.

Belle shouldn’t have to hide. Nor would he permit her to live in a hovel or a pirate ship. And he would die before he’d let anyone hurt her and the baby. Including himself.

There was only one thing to do. He had to let her go. For the last time.

*

The house Belle had bought was a small green house with a dried up front lawn, bleak windows covered in newspapers. The inside was indeed horrible. A crack den would be more appealing. Rumple had his work cut out for him. But his family were worth it.

He shrugged off his suit jacket, hung it on the back of a wooden chair, rolled up his shirt sleeves, pulled on a pair of pink washing up gloves with a purposeful snap of rubber, and set about making this house fit to live in.

He had soon filled four rubbish sacks as he dumped them on the curb. Even Rumple, the Dark One, was grossed out by the revolting moulding bread, maggoty meat and hairy fruit he’d found in the kitchen and threw them hastily into the bag, as if he thought they might come alive. And the smell coming from the expired dairy products made him wretch.

He ripped off the newspapers and threw open the windows to let in some much needed fresh air to purify this house. He cleaned the kitchen from top to bottom until every surface and appliance shone showroom new. He soaked the walls and peeled away the old, outdated wallpaper, sanded down areas that needed doing and painted with a colour that he knew Belle would approve of. He took particular care in the room that would be perfect for the baby, wearing a pair of glasses with six additional magnifying lenses as he traced with a gold tipped paintbrush.

He could have easily done it all by magic or even decorators, but Rumple relished the task. Every drop of sweat, every blister, every paint stain, every splinter, every needle prick was a gift from him to Belle. Though he did transport all the materials and equipment he needed by magic. He didn’t want anyone to know what he was doing. Not yet.

It took three days but finally he was finished. Rumple stood in the middle of the living room, admiring his handiwork. He had created the perfect home, the best he could do, and he would never live in it. Never set foot in it again. Belle would be coming here on Monday to give her own taste of DIY. He hoped she liked it. And if she didn’t, she was welcome to change anything she wished. Even if she ended up changing the whole thing. To cleanse it of Rumplestiltskin.

There was only one thing left to do.

*

Rumple paced the backroom of his shop as he waited. He had texted him half an hour ago, he should surely be here by now. He hadn’t replied saying he wasn’t coming. Unless he was gathering reinforcements.

The shop bell jingled as someone entered and then a voice said, ‘You wanted to see me?’

Rumple turned. ‘Ah yes. Henry. Thank you for coming.’

‘You have paint on your neck,’ Henry observed, his hands in his coat pockets.

‘Have I?’ Rumple felt his neck and picked off a piece of blue paint. ‘So I have. I thought I got it all.’

‘Why do you have paint on your neck?’

‘Because I’ve been painting,’ said Rumple, as he applied a wet wipe to his neck. ‘Redecorating.’

‘Place still looks the same.’

Rumple chuckled.

‘What do you want?’

‘Your help.’

‘What?’

‘I need your help to save Belle and our baby.’

‘How can I do that?’

‘You’re the Author. You can eliminate the threat.’

‘Meaning you,’ said Henry with the arrogance befitting the black and white prejudice of the heroes.

‘Yes,’ Rumple sighed. ‘Our grown-up son, if it really was him, told her in a dream that I am going to destroy them. Belle believed him. And if Belle believes it then it must be true. So no matter what I do – the right way, the wrong way, even Belle’s way – it won’t change a damn thing. Belle will never love me again and my child will suffer. So it’s best for all concerned that I leave. I can’t hurt them if I’m not here.’

‘But where do I come into it? You can just leave town, leave this realm.’

‘No I need you to place me somewhere I can’t hurt anyone, in any realm. I need you to take me out of the world completely.’

Rumple picked up a blank storybook that he’d taken from the Sorcerer’s mansion.

‘I have just one request for destination. I want you to place me at the moment where Belle and I shared true loves kiss. See if I can change my fate.’

‘No,’ said Henry flatly, as if his grandfather had asked him to commit genocide. ‘I’m not going to rewrite your story.’

‘But you were willing to do it for Regina, because she’s your mother!’ Rumple snapped at the hypocrisy. Then before he could stop himself, the dam burst open, ‘It was Isaac who wrote _Heroes and Villains_ and flipped the status quo and used me as a failsafe to keep his dystopia running! I only wanted to level the playing field, that would have benefitted everyone, not just your mother! And, more importantly, stop the Darkness spread and killing you all! It’s like the second your father died I lost all relevance to this family! Unless you need something from me – which is _always _– I don’t exist! Tell me something, would any of you have resurrected me or made the trip down to the Underworld to rescue me because you _actually_ missed me? No! Because I’m a piece of furniture that you won’t notice unless it wasn’t there! Or when you go to sit down and find yourself on your arse! You didn’t miss me then, you wouldn’t miss me now and you won’t miss me when I’m gone!’

Henry looked shocked by Rumple’s outburst, like he really hadn’t known or fully appreciated his grandfather’s suffering until now. Rumple regretted his words. This wasn’t why he’d asked Henry to come down here today.

‘I’m sorry,’ Rumple whispered regretfully. ‘I’m sorry, Henry. I didn’t mean to shout at you. I’m not going to force you to do anything. And I’m not asking you to rewrite my story. There are no do-overs. What happened, happened. The Author’s job is to record events. I only want to be placed at the moment Belle came back to me. Whatever happens after that, you can record the events as they unfold. And Belle, and all of you, will finally be free of me.’

Henry swallowed. ‘You knew I only took the apprentice job to spy on you for Regina,’ said Henry. Rumple nodded. ‘And yet you continued to let me work for you. Why?’

‘Because I wanted to spend time with my grandson. You’re all I have left of Bae.’

Henry looked guilty at the admission. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘None of that. You have nothing to apologise for, my boy.’

‘Yes I do. I should’ve done more – _we_ should’ve done more. Mom had lost Robin Hood. You had lost your son. We were all so worried about Regina going evil again we forgot to take care of you. You saved us all from Pan and we just carried on. We didn’t even hold a funeral for you. If we had, if you knew you weren’t alone, maybe we could’ve helped you fight the Darkness. That’s what families are _supposed_ to do. You’re right. We abandoned you. Indifference and neglect often do more damage than outright dislike.’

‘Wise woman, that J.K.’

‘You read Harry Potter?’

‘Professor Severus Snape was always my favourite character.’

‘Yeah. You’re a lot like him.’

Rumple raised his eyebrows. ‘Don’t quite know how to take that.’

‘In a good way.’

Rumple smiled. Then he retrieved a box from a secret compartment magically concealed in the floor and showed it to Henry. Inside it was all he had left of his Baelfire. His shawl, his ball, the drawing of his son as well as those Bae himself drew, including his father when he was a mortal man, his clothes, and his toy dog Patches that Rumple had made him; one of its ears pointed upwards and the other flopped over, its brown fur was worn in places because it was so old and it had a couple of sown on patches where the seams had split – hence the name – but Bae had loved him because his papa made it for him.

‘These were all my dad’s?’ said Henry.

Rumple nodded. ‘Here.’ He pushed the box towards Henry. ‘They’re yours now.’

‘Really?’

‘Really.’

Henry examined the contents as if each item was a priceless treasure. He pulled out one of his father’s old tunics and held it against himself. Almost the same size. He looked up hopefully at Rumple, who nodded. A few minutes later Henry stepped back into the room dressed in Bae’s childhood clothes from when he was fourteen. It was like looking at his boy. How could Rumple not have seen it? Or perhaps he did see it. There had always been something about Henry that endeared him to Rumple.

‘What do you think?’ asked Henry, spreading his arms wide and turning in a circle.

Rumple’s eyes filled and warmed at the sight. ‘Your father is born again.’

Henry looked delighted by the comparison. After a brief hesitation he said, ‘Are you sure you and Grandma Belle can’t reconcile? What if I could help? We can call it Operation Tallahassee. My dad never got his Happy Ending, but I can get you yours.’

It warmed Rumple’s heart to hear Henry say that. ‘I’d have gone for Operation Lion.’

Henry looked excited, thinking Rumple was accepting his help.

‘But I fear it is too late. If Belle would willingly condemn herself to remain under a sleeping curse than accept true loves kiss from me, it wouldn’t do any good. Nothing either of us can do will change that. I think it’s better for everyone if I wasn’t here. I certainly can’t die. I had the perfect moment to die, which was right early on, where I could have gone in a dignified way, but Belle convinced me not to die and now I _can’t_ die, because to do so now will look weak and cowardly. And no one will shed a tear. I just wasn’t meant to be.’

‘But you’re Beauty and the Beast,’ Henry insisted. ‘Everyone knows that story has a Happy Ending. This is just the darkest hour before the dawn.’

‘It’s been the darkest hour ever since Belle banished me and it just keeps getting darker. I’m not Beauty and the Beast. I’m just the Beast. I’m Rumplestiltskin. And Rumplestiltskin doesn’t get a Happy Ending. Something just keeps pouring poison between us. I was lucky to have someone like Belle even interested in someone like me. But I need it to end here. No more pain and waking up every morning already wishing it was over. It’s never going to get better.’

‘There’s always hope,’ said Henry feebly.

Rumple sighed, tears filling his pained brown eyes, so they seem to inflate. He looked like a child who had just been told that the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny and Father Christmas weren't real all in one go. He looked so... lost. ‘I’m all grown up, Henry. Don’t tell me any more fairytales.’

‘You won’t change your mind?’

Rumple shook his head.

Henry bit his lip, glancing at the blank storybook waiting to be filled. ‘Do you have to go right away or do you have some time?’

Rumple looked taken aback, but gratified. ‘For you, my boy, I’ve got all the time in the world.’

Henry’s face it up. ‘Great! I just have to make a quick call.’ Henry pulled out his phone to call Regina. ‘Hi mom. I won’t be home for dinner tonight… I’m spending the day with grandpa. Yeah… I love you too. Bye.’

‘What did she say?’ asked Rumple.

‘She said to tell me to give David her best.’

Henry rolled his eyes and Rumple snorted.

They spent all day together; talking, laughing, eating ice-cream cones, Rumple sharing stories and answering all of Henry’s questions about his dad, even having a sword fighting lesson, where Rumple corrected Henry’s grip, saying he was holding it like a street fighter or a pirate.

Rumple wished they could’ve always been like this if both of them had made the effort. But to spend even an hour with his grandson and Henry wanting to spend time with him was more than Rumple could ever have hoped for.

When they returned to the shop, Rumple almost changed his mind about Henry’s offer to help him. But he knew what he and Belle had would never come back, no matter how much he wanted it. Some people are just meant to be alone.

Henry took out his writer’s pen and pulled out a fresh sheet of paper towards him. ‘Grandpa –’

‘My mind is made up, Henry.’

‘No, it’s just… why that moment. I thought letting go of my dad was your biggest regret? Or becoming the Dark One? Running from the ogre’s war?’

Rumple smiled sadly, shaking his head. ‘No,’ he said softly. ‘No I want my memories of him. The good and the bad. I love Belle with all my heart… but Bae’s love for me was unconditional. He didn’t care we were poor. He didn’t care his papa had a bad reputation as a coward or a monster. He just loved _me_, not the version of me I had to be just so they would love me. Not a day passes that I don’t regret letting my son go. But if I hadn’t, I would never have met Belle, you wouldn’t have your Charming grandparents, your amazing mothers, your heroic father…’ Rumple gazed warmly at Henry. ‘…and I would never have my remarkable grandson.’

Henry seemed to be struggling to find a new argument. ‘What if it doesn’t work?’ said Henry. ‘What if when I send you in there you won’t remember any of this?’

‘Then history will repeat itself and you’ll be looking at _Once Upon a Time – the Novelization_. Hopefully I should have enough residual awareness to avoid a repeat performance.’ Rumple played with his moonstone wedding ring. ‘If things turn out… differently, I’d like you to give this to Belle for me. As consolation.’

‘Of what?’

‘That my True Love, my Happy Ending, is and has always been my loved ones.’

Henry took a sheet of paper and started scribbling.

‘What’re you writing?’ asked Rumple.

‘A failsafe,’ said Henry. ‘The only useful thing my great-grandfather taught me: never make a cage you can’t get out of.’

Rumple was too distracted by the little golden key coming out of the page to notice the moonstone of his ring glowing briefly blue.

‘Just in case.’

‘Well, it’s hard to expect you all to cope five minutes without me without everything going to pot.’

‘It wouldn’t work anyway.’

‘Why’s that?’

‘Because necessity isn’t love. Don’t worry. If we ever end up in the book looking for you, it’ll be because we’re looking for _you_.’

Rumple realised what Henry was giving him. Hope. The key would not allow them to enter the book to retrieve him if their only reason to do so was to get him to fix some big disaster and then throw him aside as soon as his usefulness was over. Nor if one person just wanted to lessen their guilt or fuel their hero-complex. Or any other reason than because they missed him. If they entered the book and woke him from his reality, Rumple would know it was because they wanted him back.

‘You’ll look after Belle and my son for me when I’m gone?’ requested Rumple.

‘I will,’ promised Henry.

With his Author’s pen Henry wrote: _Rumplestiltskin went to the place where he could get a fresh start_.

The words glowed white on the page. Suddenly the storybook’s cover opened and the pages blew as if caught in a gust of wind, stopping at its centre pages. A gold light shone along the middle and spread out across the pages. Rumple raised his hands and stared at them as they seem to lose their structure as his essence, his very being, seemed to flow towards the book and were sucked into the pages.

This was it. This was where his story ends and a new one begins. _Please Gods, let it not all have been for nothing. Forgive me, Belle_.

As the process sped up Rumple took one last look at his grandson. They had the same look in their eyes; they had found each other and now they must lose each other, but both attempted to smile, trying to be brave for the other.

‘Thank you, Henry. Goodbye.’

The last remnants of Rumplestiltskin flowed like ink onto the tome, Henry could have sworn he heard his grandfather’s voice whisper, ‘I love you.’ The pages blew in reverse and close with a soft thud. The cover had changed from brown to blue. Henry hurried to the workbench, opened the book and read the first line on page 1 as the story unfelled before his very eyes:

‘_“Once upon a time, there was a Beast that took a girl prisoner. But he fell in love with her. And he let her go. That was when the girl knew that she loved him too. He thought he would never see her again. but despite his doubts that experience and life had cursed him, his fears that those who should have loved him were right, that he was not worthy of love; his Beauty came back to him…”_’

*

Rumplestiltskin stood at his tower window waiting for Belle. She had long since faded from view, yet still he waited. He rubbed his hands nervously. Frowning, he looked down at his right hand. There was a blue moonstone ring on his third finger that had not been there before. And yet it had always been there. And yet he had never noticed it until now. And yet he could not being himself to take it off.

Rumple returned his gaze to the Belle-less road. All day he stood there until the sun disappeared behind the trees, leaving everything cold and dark. But still Rumple remained sentry. He felt like he would stay here for evermore waiting, fooling himself she’d walk right it.

His eyes lit up. There she is! Belle was walking up the drive, carrying a basket of straw. She was coming back to him! Rumple was so happy that he forgot he had magic as he ran down the stairs. He settled himself in front of his spinning wheel trying to act like he hadn’t been standing looking out the window all day like a lovesick puppy. He heard the doors to the great hall open for Belle and turned towards her, acting like he’d only just spotted her.

‘Oh, you’re back already,’ said Rumple as Belle draped her cloak over his chair, trying to slow his thumping heart and not sound out of breath. ‘Good. Good thing. I’m, um, I’m nearly out of straw.’

‘Hmm.’ Belle smiled knowingly as she set the basket of straw down at his wheel. ‘Come on. You’re happy I’m back.’

Rumple peered at her through the wheel. ‘I’m not unhappy.’

He resumed his spinning. Until he suddenly felt small hands on his shoulders and caught a whiff of vanilla and lavender as Belle leaned in close. ‘And, uh, you promised me a story.’

‘Did I?’ said Rumple mildly.

‘Mm-hm,’

Belle took the thread from Rumple’s claw and laid it aside so that he couldn’t spin. Then she settled herself down on the stool next to him and waited expectantly, like a child at story time. Then she placed her hand on his thigh. Oh Gods, don’t let him suffer and erection during such a delicate topic.

‘Tell me about your son.’

‘Ah yes,’ Rumple sighed. What would she say if she knew the truth? Would she turn away from him? He bottled it. ‘I lost him. There’s… nothing more to tell really.’

‘And you’ve been alone ever since,’ said Belle sadly, squeezing his thigh gently.

Rumple leaned in closer, searching Belle’s face for any deception as he whispered, ‘Why did you come back?’

‘You don’t have a home until you miss it. And being away from here, even for a few hours, I’ve never missed you more. You – the Dark Castle – you’re my home, Rumple.’

Rumple let out a little gasp. She truly meant it.

‘What’s wrong?’ Belle asked.

‘No one… no woman has ever looked at me like that,’ said Rumple faintly. ‘Not even my wife.’

Belle leaned in slowly, as if she were about to kiss him. but the thought of Milah, who didn’t want the man, and Cora, who didn’t want the Beast when she could have power of her own, made Rumple close his eyes in shame and turn away from her inviting lips.

‘Underneath all of this… I’m not worth much. Nor am I worth anything without it…’

‘I think you’re worth a great deal,’ said Belle, taking his hands.

Rumple shook his head, his throat burning. He had no idea where all this was coming from, but he didn’t want Belle to regret anything later, nor did he want to suffer another blow to his shrivelled battered heart. ‘You never saw me before, Belle. You’ve seen the showman, who would strut around and pose. Invincible. Never to be crossed. Who would keep you safe.’

‘Who were you before?’

Rumple’s lip quivered. ‘I’m lame. Friendless. All I had was my boy… and I lost him. I became the Dark One to save him. But it cost me my soul. And then it cost me my beautiful boy. My Baelfire.’

‘Baelfire… That’s a good strong name.’

‘He needed it… if he was to live with the shame of being my son. He saw the darkness in my soul. I had a chance to change for him, but… I was too frightened to stop it. I’m not a hero, Belle. There’s no cursed Prince under all these scales. If that’s what you’re hoping for, if you’re expecting a fairytale ending, I’m afraid you’ll be sorely disappointed.’

Belle frowned. ‘Can’t I decide that for myself?’

‘You deserve a knight in shining armour, like in your stories.’

‘I don’t want a fairytale. I want you.’

Rumple shook his head disbelievingly at this strange beautiful creature. ‘All those handsome princes chasing you… and yet your heart chose a beast. Why was that?’

Belle considered. Why Rumplestiltskin? How could she explain it, even to herself?

‘You know when sometimes you meet people who are so beautiful, but then you actually talk to them and two minutes later they’re as dull as a brick. Then there’s other people, you meet them and you think “not bad, they’re okay”. And then you really get to know them and their face… sort of… becomes them. Like their personality is written all over it. And they just… they turn into something so beautiful. You’re the most beautiful man I’ve ever met.’

‘Well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.’

‘You’re just used to people being afraid of you. You don’t know what it is to be loved. A man… or a beast… I love you, whoever you are. You can be the way you want. Just please don’t leave me now. Please don’t leave me. I can’t live without you.’

‘Nor I you.’

Rumple and Belle leaned in a kissed. The transformation started at his lips.

‘What’s happening?’ Rumple moaned.

Belle caught him as he almost fell off the stool. ‘Look at you! It’s changing!’

‘What is?’ Rumple asked in his human voice.

‘You’re face… You look human.’

Rumple touches his face. ‘You do love me… All of me… Even the parts that belong to the Darkness.’

‘That’s what True Love is: unconditional.’

Rumple smiled. Then he gasped in pain. The scales were coming back. His curse was fighting the transformation. ‘No… Please…’ He looked pleadingly at Belle. ‘Kiss me again! It’s working!’

Belle kissed him. The scales receded but then attempted to devour his flesh once more.

‘_Do not think you can destroy me!_’

Suddenly Belle was propelled backwards away from Rumple and landed hard on the floor. Looking up she saw a woman dressed in a black hooded cloak standing behind Rumple. Her face was scaly and her eyes were large and amber, like Rumple’s. Another Dark One?

‘Sorry, dearie,’ said the woman. ‘But he’s spoken for.’

‘Who are you?’ Belle demanded.

‘Belle?’ Rumple looked between the two women. ‘You can see her?’

Belle nodded.

‘I am Nimue. And Rumplestiltskin is mine.’

‘Are you married?’

‘Let’s just say we’re… deeply committed.’

‘She’s was the first Dark One,’ Rumple explained. ‘Now she is the voice of the Darkness. The curse can take the form of any previous Dark One.’

‘So she’s the devil on your shoulder,’ said Belle.

‘I am his guide, his friend. And I am here to eliminate the threat to our existence.’

Nimue started to magically strangle Belle.

‘No!’ Rumple gasped.

‘Why’re you doing this?’ Belle choked. ‘We love each other!’

‘Even when you love someone, you have to say “no, this is mine. You can’t take it away from me”. And if they don’t listen, if they try to stop you from being you, then you have no choice. You have to kill them. Oh… and _he’s_ doing this…’

Nimue and Rumple (against his will) tightened their magical choker hold on Belle.

‘…because we are one and the same, all Dark Ones, and we must destroy the threat to us. We must destroy, Belle.’

‘Rumple, please –’

‘It’s… not me!’ Rumple gasped.

‘Finish the job!’ hissed Nimue.

‘Don’t listen!’ Belle choked.

‘She wants to destroy you, to destroy us.’

‘You can control this.’

‘Don’t listen to her! She doesn’t understand what you and I do. She doesn’t understand the power. If you don’t kill her now, you’ll go back to being powerless. You’ll never get your son back.’

‘Killing is the dark path.’

‘No! It’s power to protect yourself and your loved ones!’

‘Let the light win.’

‘Kill her! Don’t go back to being nothing!’

Rumple panted, his arm trembling. He screwed up his eyes. He thought of Baelfire, and the life they had before he took on the curse. He remembered the night Milah left them, how he had held his devastated son, promising they would always be together. How later that night he discovered Bae had crawled into his papa’s bed and, when asked what was wrong, he looked at him with big brown eyes and said ‘I didn’t want you to feel you were alone’, to which Rumple hugged his boy, kissed his curly head and said ‘How can I be alone when I have you, Bae?’

He thought of the times he had let Belle see the man behind the beast: he made her feel better about chipping his teacup – Belle smiled. He spared the thief trying to save his pregnant wife – Belle hugged him. He gave her a library – Belle touched him without shuddering and said she was glad her first impression of him was wrong. He gave her the rose – Belle accepted his token of affection. He let Belle go – Belle came back to him. He kissed her and Belle’s love for all of him – man and beast – was strong enough to free him from the Darkness’ clutches.

And the Darkness was killing her to save itself.

‘I’M NOT NOTHING! I WAS NEVER NOTHING!’ Rumple roared; releasing Belle and squaring up to the demon that made him hurt her. ‘You took my son. You will not take my heart.’

Rumple raised his dagger. The name on the blade flipped until it changed from Rumplestiltskin to Nimue.

‘You will never hurt my loved ones again,’ Rumple commanded. ‘You have no power over me. No one decides my fate but me.’

‘So be it,’ said Nimue savagely. ‘But when you mess this up – and you will – you’ll have only yourself to blame.’

‘Oh I do.’

‘And when you come crawling back, I’d wear this,’ Nimue conjured a dog collar on a lead, ‘because the only way you will ever be at my side again is on your knees, as my bitch! And you can watch as I claim your wench for my own.’

‘Sadly, neither one of us will see that day. If there’s one thing I can do with my life, I can put a stop to you for good, Demon.’

Rumple drew back the arm holding the dagger. ‘For Belle. For Bae.’

Nimue’s eyes widened in horror. ‘Stop! NO!’

Rumple drove the dagger into Nimue’s chest. Belle gasped as if she were the one who’d been stabbed in the heart. Nimue turned to dust before their eyes and whispered mournfully, ‘No more Dark One,’ before she blew away into nothing.

Rumple let his arm fall and the dagger fall from his limp grip with a clatter. ‘It’s done…’

Then he collapsed to the floor.

‘Rumple!’ Belle screamed. She ran past the nameless dagger, dropped to her knees beside Rumple and turned him over. ‘Rumple?’

Rumple opened his eyes, brown and warm that stood out against his scales. He felt for her hand and took it tenderly in his claw. ‘You came back for me…’

‘Of course I came back,’ said Belle tearfully. ‘I’ll never leave you again.’

‘I’m afraid it’s my turn to leave,’ Rumple whispered sadly, the scales slowly peeling away from his face in the absence of the curse.

‘We’re together now. You’re going to be fine.’

‘At least… I got to see you… one last time.’

Then Rumple’s eyes closed and his hand went limp in Belle’s.

‘No!’ Belle gasped, letting his hand fall as she cupped his half-human face. ‘Please, no… come back!’

But Rumple didn’t open his eyes. There was no last minute miracle recovery, where he’d wait for her to give up hope and then sprung it on her just to tease her. Belle wished – begged him to, just so she could see those beautiful brown eyes.

‘Come back…’ Belle begged him. ‘Please don’t leave me. I love you.’

She bent down and kissed his lips. Rumple’s scales seemed to disappear faster in reaction to her kiss and then a pulse of pure rainbow love shuddered out, bringing light to the great hall and the rose on the table, that had wilted when Rumple had gone limp, bloomed again. Belle pulled back, startled by what she’d felt, her lips tingling.

Suddenly Rumple’s eyes flew open as he drew a deep breath of life. Panting, he turned to look into Belle’s shocked but delighted, tear-soaked face and smiled, ‘And I love you too.’

Belle laughed wetly.

‘You saved me…’

‘We saved each other. I thought you were dead.’

‘I was right on the edge. You brought me back… somehow.’

‘True loves kiss.’

‘The most powerful magic of all.’

Belle helped him to stand up and he stumbled a little on his shattered ankle, so she settled them back on the stool. She examined his true form. ‘You’re even more beautiful.’

‘You’re not disappointed?’

Belle shook her head. ‘I have no preference, just as long as it’s you underneath. But you better still kiss the same.’

Rumple chuckled and kissed her. White light shone out of his tanned skin.

‘Rumple!’ Belle gasped in wonder.

Rumple stared at his glowing hands. Then he gave it and experimental flick and a white rose appeared in his hand. ‘I have magic… No. But you broke my curse. How can I still have magic, let alone _light_ magic?’

‘Once one is touched by magic it stays with them forever. Maybe after all these years you tapped into magic you never knew you possessed. Maybe you turned the Darkness into Light.’

‘Maybe…’

‘Rumple? You’re crying.’

Rumple blinked and wiped his face with his hand. He stared at the tear upon it. So he was. Why was he doing that?

‘I’ve never seen that ring before.’

Rumple turned his hand over and saw the blue moonstone ring. ‘No you’re… you’re mistaken… I’ve always had it…’ said Rumple vaguely.

‘You don’t sound so sure.’

‘Because I’m not.’ He wiped another unwanted tear from his eye, wondering why this was happening to him. Belle came back to him, told him she loved him, she broke his curse and yet he still had magic to find Bae and to protect them. ‘I don’t think they’re mine,’ he muttered. He didn’t know how he knew, but he did.

‘What do we do now?’ asked Belle.

Rumple dried his face, trying to pull himself together. ‘Now,’ said Rumple, turning to smile at the angel who’d saved him. ‘Now we find my son.’

‘How?’

‘I’ve been working on a curse – the Dark Curse – which would take me to the land where he escaped.’

‘There’s no way to reach him without cursing the realm?’

‘I have been looking into other paths; magic beans, silver slippers, magic hats. But all have eluded or were stolen from me. A seer told me that the curse was the only way to get to him. I’ve seen it myself.’

‘There must be a way. The future isn’t always what it seems.’

‘Belle, I’m over three hundred years old. I’ve researched every piece of magic ever written – even fairy magic! If there were another way, how could I not have found it by now?’

‘Maybe because you’re too close to the project. Maybe you need an outside eye. Maybe now you’re not the Dark One anymore, doors that were previously closed to you will now open.’

Rumple looked hopefully at Belle. ‘Will you help me, Belle?’

‘Of course! I think it’s high time I met the famous Baelfire.’

Rumple smiled. ‘Oh! There’s just one thing I need to take care of.’

Taking Belle’s hand, Rumple led her over to the covered mirror. Making sure Belle stood just to the side, Rumple seized the cover and, with a sigh of mock-defeat and an effective slump of the shoulders, pulled it off to reveal the mirror. He looked into his world-wiry reflection.

‘Come out, come out, little dearie,’ he said quietly.

Purple smoke filled the glass and the Evil Queen appeared, cackling triumphantly at the curseless Rumplestiltskin. ‘I told you love is weakness! Who’s more powerful now, Master?’

Belle watched from the side-lines, sickened. She knew on the road the Evil Queen was trying to manipulate her, but to see her take great pleasure in other people’s suffering made her want to scratch her eyes out.

Rumple allowed Regina thirty seconds to enjoy the feeling of triumph of getting one over on her teacher before he conjured a ball of white fire in his hand, which wiped the smile off her face and the laughter died in her throat.

‘You think you can make me weak?’ Rumple asked. He took Belle’s hand and pulled her to his side. ‘You think you can defeat us? True Love is magic. It creates happiness. But you choose to do nothing but hate. It won’t make you happy.’

‘Snow White has to pay for what she did to me. I’ll be happy when she’s dead.’

‘You know you and Captain Hook should get a room, Your Majesty.’

‘Enjoy your fun with your wench. But don’t forget, I have the power to destroy all your Happy Endings, not just Snow White’s.’

‘Well, good luck casting it. It took me to get you this far, dearie.’

‘I don’t need you.’

‘That’s what they all say.’

Rumple vanished the Evil Queen’s image with a puff of white smoke.

‘Should we be worried?’ Belle asked. ‘What if she does cast the curse?’

‘Then we’ll have to stop her before she does. But before all that…’

Rumple snapped his fingers and the gramophone came to life. Another snap and the candles around the room ignited. And with two further snaps, Belle’s blue maids dress was replaced with an elegant gold ballgown and Rumple’s red vest and gold shirt were replaced by a blue waistcoat and white vest.

‘May I have this dance, Belle?’ Rumple said softly, as the music started.

Belle smiled, blushing. ‘I would love to.’

Rumple pulled Belle close and they waltzed around the room, Belle twirling with the grace of a ballerina. With his lame leg there was no lifting Belle into the air as they revolved, but just being here, holding his beloved was enough for him…

*

‘_“…They danced until the sun rose in the east, casting their entwined figures in heavenly light. Beauty had saved her Beast and showed Rumplestiltskin – that even for him – darkness will always find the light. But most importantly, for things to become lovable, they must first be loved. But this was only the beginning of their adventures…”_.’

Henry sniffed and wiped his eyes as he stared at the ink drawing of Grandpa Rumple and Grandma Belle smiling and resting against each other’s foreheads as they danced. His grandpa had changed his fate. And though he would never see him again, he was happy.

Henry turned the page to see where their Happy Beginning would lead. Would grandpa find Henry’s dad? Would he help defeat the Evil Queen? What would Rumplestiltskin and Belle accomplish together in this version of reality?

He had to find out.


End file.
